


The Audacity Of My Protagonist

by SpaceJammie



Series: Oddly Specific BokuAka Post Canon AU [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Akaashi Keiji & Kozume Kenma Friendship, Akaashi Keiji is a Good Significant Other, Akaashi Keiji is a Mess, Akaashi's to-do list is too-long, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, Gay Parents, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of Anxiety, Oblivious Bokuto Koutarou, Post-Canon, Rich Kozume Kenma, The Nekoma 'gotta lotta money' squad, This particular fic is a whole mood(swing), Too many characters to tag for the second chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27137071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceJammie/pseuds/SpaceJammie
Summary: Akaashi's mad at Bokuto, who skipped out on their anniversary dinner to stay late at volleyball practice.But that's not the whole story, and Akaashi has to uncover the truth.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Oddly Specific BokuAka Post Canon AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980811
Comments: 31
Kudos: 243





	1. Of All The Things He Might Have Done

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this as part of The Protagonist Of My World but decided I wanted to leave that fic as pure fluff. But this is the same universe, probably a few months to a year later.

Akaashi was waiting up for Bokuto, who had stayed late at practice again; this time he really overdid it. It was coming up on midnight. Akaashi was becoming increasingly frustrated as the minutes ticked by. It was their anniversary, and they had dinner plans. Not only that, but Bokuto knew full and well that Akaashi couldn't sleep soundly without him. 

Bokuto could be a little thoughtless sometimes, but he'd never stayed so late at practice before. Well, that's not true. He once stayed until one in the morning. But he'd texted Akaashi to let him know. 

There had been no texts since Bokuto left for practice earlier. Akaashi went back through the events of the day. Did he do something to upset Bokuto? He didn't think so. Bokuto had been in a good mood when he left at four o'clock. They were both excited to go to a late dinner at nine o'clock. 

Akaashi had called Bokuto several times, but got no answer. Then he sent Bokuto several texts, each one more irritated than the last. 

  
  


_8:35pm: Kou, we're going to miss our reservation._

_9:15pm: We've officially missed our reservation. I guess I'll cook. What do you want?_

_10:20pm: I made fried rice because it's what I wanted to eat. Yours will be in the fridge, heat it up yourself._

_10:55pm: I wish you'd remember to text me when you stay late. Especially when you're going to blow off our plans._

_11:55pm: Don't expect me to wait up any longer. Maybe you should sleep on the couch so you don't wake me up when you come home, whenever you finally decide to do that._

Of course, Akaashi was actually planning on waiting up as long as it took; he had a very stern look that Bokuto needed to receive as soon as he got home. This was the most inconsiderate Bokuto had been in a very long time, and on their anniversary of all days.

Akaashi sat on the couch and tried to keep his eyes open as the minutes passed; his blinks were getting slower and slower. He nodded off once but jolted back awake. He took off his glasses and set them on the end table next to the couch, then checked his phone. Still nothing from Bokuto. 

It was just past four when Akaashi finally gave in to exhaustion, falling asleep on the couch with his head at a weird angle. His last thoughts before drifting off had been less of the angry kind (though he was definitely still angry) and more of the worried kind (because this really wasn't like Bokuto). 

When Akaashi woke up to the light of morning in the apartment, his neck was stiff from the awkward angle he slept on. He reached for his glasses and slipped them on then glanced at the clock. It was nine in the morning already. 

Akaashi gave a frustrated sigh and stood up. Bokuto probably snuck past him and slept comfortably in their bed, leaving him on the couch. He rubbed his painful neck as he walked towards the bedroom. Bokuto could start making amends for missing their date and staying out all night by giving him a long massage. And today was going to be all delivery food, because Akaash would be damned if he was going to reward Bokuto's behavior with home cooked meals. 

When he reached the bedroom and looked inside, he froze. The bed was still untouched and unused. There was no Bokuto anywhere in sight. Had he not come home at all?

Worry settled into the pit of Akaashi's stomach. He quickly walked back to where he had plugged his phone in, by the couch. But there were no new messages. He frowned and chewed at his lip as he typed in Bokuto's number. It rang until it went to voicemail. Akaashi tried again several times as he paced around the room, but there was no answer. 

Akaashi took a deep breath. Maybe Bokuto went to stay at Kuroo and Kenma's place to avoid facing him. It wouldn't be the first time. Once he had even tried to hide under Kuroo's bed, and Kuroo had tried to help cover for him. Kenma didn't play along; he gave Bokuto's location away immediately. 

Kenma was who he needed to talk to right now. Akaashi called Kenma's phone and got an answer on the third ring. "What's up, Keiji?" 

Akaashi paced around. "Is Koutarou there?"

"Hm? I don't think so. Kuroo is sleeping right next to me and I didn't hear Koutarou come in last night." 

As he ran a hand through his hair, Akaashi tried to keep his voice calm. "Would you mind checking to see if he's on your couch? He skipped out on our date last night, and may have snuck into your place to avoid facing me." 

Kenma hummed on the other side of the phone. "Just a minute." 

Akaashi waited as patiently as he could. He ran his fingers along the wall as he paced back and forth through the hallway. Bokuto must know how this would upset him, that jerk. 

Kenma's voice came over the phone again. "Sorry, he isn't here."

Akaashi felt his throat tighten. His stomach dropped and he felt worry gnaw at him. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "Please let me know if you hear from him."

"I will. Are you okay?"

Realizing he was chewing his lip to the point of pain, Akaashi mumbled out a quick answer. "I've not heard from Kou at all since yesterday. I'm worried."

"He hasn't even texted?"

Akaashi nervously rubbed his knuckles against his jawline. "No calls, no texts. Nothing."

"That isn't like him. I'll wake Tetsurou, then we'll go check the gym. Stay there in case he comes back."

Akaashi's mind was burning with worry. "Okay. Thank you, Kenma." 

After he hung up the phone, Akaashi sat on the couch and pulled his knees to his chest. He wrapped his arms around his legs and tried not to cry. He wasn't sure if it was anger or fear that was driving the tears to try to flow, but he didn't want any part of it. Crying would mean something was wrong. It would be admitting something may have happened to Bokuto.

Bokuto was fine, he had to be. He was in trouble for being inconsiderate, that was a sure thing. Akaashi was going to have a serious talk with him about the importance of communication. There was probably a simple explanation. Maybe Bokuto broke his phone. Or had to help a teammate home and ended up staying the night.

Akaashi stood up and paced around the living room as he sent another text. 

_9:30am: I won't be mad if you just come home. Please._

He tossed his phone on the couch and realized he was breathing really fast; panic was trying to take over. But he couldn't let it. Bokuto wasn't there to keep him grounded, to pull him back if he slipped over the edge of his anxiety. Suddenly, he heard Bokuto's voice in his mind. _'Remember the breathing thing, Keiji? The counting to five thing?'_

Akaashi nodded to himself and started taking deep breaths. Five seconds in. Hold for five seconds. Five seconds out. Repeat. He breathed like that for a good twenty minutes. He may be the one to care for Bokuto oftentimes, but he also needed Bokuto to help him through his anxiety when it was too much. He wished Bokuto was there to hold him. 

His heart rate had lowered some and his mind felt a little more clear, after the breathing exercises. The edge of his anxiety felt like it was farther away, a safer distance. He knew he needed to take care of himself and stop letting his mind overanalyze the situation. Worrying about what-ifs wasn't going to help him.

He ate a quick breakfast of a protein bar, then got in the shower. He ended up sitting on the floor of the shower with his arms wrapped around his knees as he let the water flow over him. A long while later, when the water ran cold, he got out. 

After he got dressed, he checked his phone. There were no messages. No missed calls. Fear wrapped around his heart again, it was tighter and more painful than earlier. 

Suddenly, a key turned in the lock and Akaashi jumped at the sound. He ran to the door, opening it before Bokuto could. But it wasn't Bokuto. It was Kenma and Kuroo. They seemed concerned; they looked at Akaashi's face and grew more worried still. 

The two men stepped inside the apartment and stood near Akaashi. Kuroo cleared his throat and glanced down at the zipper on his jacket as he moved it up and down, probably to calm his nerves. "He hasn't answered any of my calls or texts."

Kenma reached out a hand to squeeze Akaashi's arm. "We couldn't find him at the gym. We checked around all his favorite spots too. No word from him yet?"

Akaashi chewed on his bottom lip and shook his head. Where could Bokuto be? This was officially the most thoughtless he had ever been. The most selfish he had ever acted. Akaashi was furious. 

But under that anger, he was desperately afraid. Bokuto wouldn't do this on purpose. Something was keeping him away. What if he was hurt, or worse? What would he do without Bokuto if something happened? Was his life still a story worth living without his protagonist? 

Tears finally escaped from his hold. 

Kuroo stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. He tried to make his voice calm and reassuring, but he was obviously worried too. "I'm sure he's fine. It'll be okay. Did you eat yet?"

Akaashi nodded into Kuroo's shoulder as he allowed the man to hug him. Kenma came around and hugged him silently from behind. The pressure from being between the two of them felt comforting. Akaashi laid his head on Kuroo's shoulder while stifling a yawn. 

"Did you sleep last night?" Kenma asked. 

"I was up until past four waiting for him," Akaashi mumbled. 

Kenma let go of Akaashi and pulled out his phone. "I'll call Shouyou and ask him if Koutarou made it to practice yesterday. You should lay down for a while."

Kuroo nodded in agreement and moved to usher Akaashi to the bedroom. Akaashi kept his phone clutched to his chest as he was guided along. When he laid down, Kuroo pulled the blankets over him and tucked him in. 

"I'm an adult, Tetsurou. You don't have to tuck me in," Akaashi said, sounding sharper than he meant to because of the worry gnawing at him. 

Kuroo just gave a light chuckle, which came out as more of a shaky huff of air. "Bo would want me to baby you when you're worried like this. You know what a big dork he is. He might have fallen asleep on the train and ended up hours away, for all we know. I'm sure he'll walk through the front door any minute now."

"I hope so," Akaashi said quietly. What if Bokuto was hurt? Or… dead? Akaashi closed his eyes and tried to shove those thoughts away. 

Kuroo ruffled his hair and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Akaashi peeked at his phone again then set in on the nightstand, along with his glasses. He wanted Koutarou. His thoughts wouldn't calm down; it felt like he was falling, spinning out of control. 

Kenma peeked his head in. "Hey, Shouyou said Koutarou left practice around eight last night. He's calling other teammates and asking if they know where Koutarou is."

"Thank you, Kenma. Let me know if you hear anything, please."

Kenma nodded and closed the door. 

Akaashi closed his eyes, but the spinning feeling was waiting for him. He tried to take slow, steady breaths and clear his mind. He would be able to assess the situation better if he could get some sleep. But the adrenaline from his fear wouldn't go away. 

After thirty minutes, Akaashi got up and started pacing around the room. Maybe he should start calling some local hospitals? He didn't want to admit Bokuto might be at one, but he needed to do something. 

He put his glasses back on and picked up his phone. He looked up hospitals, then dialed the number of the one nearest to where Bokuto had practice. The line rang a few times, and a woman picked up the phone. "Central Hospital operator. How can I direct your call?"

Akaashi's mouth felt dry. "I'm looking for someone. I'm wondering if he's there?"

Typing sounds came over the phone. "I'm pulling up our patient directory and information. What's his name?"

Akaashi sat on the bed and pulled his knees up to his chest. "Bokuto Koutarou."

There was silence for a moment except for clicking of keys on a keyboard. "Yes, he's here. Do you want me to transfer the call to the room he's in?"

A weight dropped on Akaashi's stomach and he almost threw up from the lurch of his insides. "I… yes, please."

"Just a moment," the woman said. The line started ringing again, and a different woman picked up the phone. "Room 313, nurse speaking. May I ask who's calling?"

Akaashi licked his lips; his dry mouth felt like powder had coated his tongue. "Uhm, this is Akaashi Keiji. Is Bokuto Koutarou there?"

"He is, but he's sleeping. It was a long night. Will you be coming in today? Visitor hours started at nine."

Akaashi hurriedly looked around the room for clothes that were not pajamas. His mind was spinning again. Could he even drive right now? Probably not. Kuroo would be willing to drive him, though. "I can come right now. What room was it, again?"

"313. On the third floor, dear."

"Okay, thank you. I'll be there soon." Akaashi hung up the phone and pulled off his pajamas. He put on a pair of pants and a long sleeve shirt, grabbed the first two socks he could (mismatched, but he didn't care right now) then rushed out of the bedroom. 

Kuroo and Kenma were both on phone calls when Akaashi came out to the living room. When they saw him and his expression, they hurried to end their calls. 

"What's going on? Did you hear from Bo?" Kuroo asked hurriedly. 

"He's at Central Hospital. I didn't talk to him, he's sleeping. The nurse told me his room number. Can you drive? I don't feel like I'm in the right state of mind to be behind the wheel."

Kenma and Kuroo both paled a little. Then Kuroo grabbed his keys out of his pocket. "Let's go."

As Akaashi slipped on his shoes, Kenma came beside him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Did the nurse say what happened?"

With a shake of his head and a shake in his voice, Akaashi replied. "I didn't think to ask. Damn it."

Kuroo clapped Akaashi's shoulder heavily. His voice trembled, but he tried to be comforting. "Don't be hard on yourself. We'll just… find out when we get there."

Akaashi nodded and followed Kuroo to the car. Kenma walked beside him, keeping a hand on his shoulder. They climbed into Kuroo's car and headed towards the hospital. Kenma sat in the back with Akaashi and held his friend's hand. Akaashi was pretty sure he was going to chew straight through his lip, but he couldn't stop himself from gnawing at it.

He wanted to see Bokuto, and he wanted Bokuto to look at him with his goofy smile. He wanted Bokuto to hug him and make his worry go away. He wanted to hear Bokuto say _'I love you, Keiji."_

  
  


\-----

  
  


They walked through the lobby of the hospital and went to the reception desk. Akaashi cleared his throat when he met the eyes of the woman behind the desk. At his sides, his fists were closed so tight that they were turning white. "I'm looking for room 313?"

The woman nodded. "You'll need to sign in and put on a visitor sticker. Would you like someone to show you to the room?"

Akaashi nodded, and the woman picked up the phone to call someone to come guide them. Kuroo signed in all three of their names and stuck a visitor badge on each of their shirts. 

Kenma leaned against Akaashi's arm. It was his way of offering comfort in public. Akaashi was grateful for the pressure of his friend's arm on his own. It helped him feel more grounded as he struggled with feeling like he was going to float away. 

Kuroo was much more open with his physical contact as he slung an arm over Akaashi's shoulder and gave a squeeze. It was something Bokuto would do and it made Akaashi even more desperate to see his owlish husband. None of them felt like talking; it was a quiet wait. Akaashi held his hands over his stomach, twisting his fingers around each other nervously. 

A young man came after a short time and walked over to them. "Hi there! I'll take you to room 313, follow me!"

Akaashi felt himself scowl. How could someone be so chipper about leading people to a hospital room? It was inconsiderate. Akaashi made a mental note to complain to someone about it later. But he knew that the man's kindness wasn't what he was really upset about, and filing a complaint against someone who didn't deserve it wasn't going to make him feel better. 

He begrudgingly scrubbed complaining to someone off his mental to-do list. 

The whole walk to the room, Akaashi's nerves slithered and coiled around him. He found himself starting to hyperventilate again, and his hands started to shake. He crossed his arms and tucked his hands into his armpits. Kuroo and Kenma noticed him coming apart, so Kuroo put an arm back over Akaashi's shoulders and Kenma grabbed the back of Akaashi's shirt. 

"It'll be okay," Kuroo whispered; but his voice sounded as worried as Akaashi felt. 

The chipper man guided them to a room with 313 was labeled outside the door. "Here we are. Have a good time! I'll be off now."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at the man as he walked away. "What the fuck does he mean, 'have a good time'?"

Kenma was looking around. "I think we have the wrong room number. Isn't this the maternity ward?"

Akaashi pushed himself out of his tunnel vision and finally took a moment to look around. There were baby related signs everywhere. "I wonder if it's the wrong Bokuto…"

Suddenly uncertain about if he was going to see his Bokuto or not, Akaashi knocked lightly on the door to the room. There was no answer, so he slowly moved to open it. 

Kenma pulled Kuroo towards some seats. "We'll wait outside."

Kuroo nodded absently, rambling a bit in his worried state. "If we three barge in on a naked laboring woman, it'll be a bad time. I've heard of women who punch their own husband or throw things at nurses while in labor. Cover your face when you go in, just in case."

Akaashi gave Kuroo a slight frown, but he knew Kuroo was trying to lighten the mood. Bokuto would have thought that was hilarious, probably. 

He slowly stepped into the room. The lights were dim, and his eyes adjusted after a quick moment. There was only one hospital bed in the room. A woman laid in it and was asleep. It must have been the wrong room, after all. 

With a quiet sigh, Akaashi went to turn around. But his eye caught sight of black and white hair in the corner of the room; he did a double take. There was Bokuto. He sat in a chair sleeping with his head back over the top of it. He didn't look hurt or unwell, Akaashi quickly noted with great relief. His worry was soon replaced with confusion and irritation as he studied Bokuto and his surroundings. 

Next to Bokuto was a clear plastic rectangular bassinet. A baby was sleeping in it, swaddled with just head and arms out. And Bokuto's hand was resting over one of the baby's arms. Akaashi raised an eyebrow and frowned as his mind spun through the possible explanations for this situation. 

Bokuto had a secret family? 

No, impossible. One of Bokuto's weaknesses was how bad he was at keeping secrets. And another weakness was how helplessly in love he was with Akaashi. He would never cheat. He had once guiltily admitted that a stranger had told him he had a nice body, and apologized because he was upset that someone was checking him out without his permission. 

Had Bokuto donated sperm to a donor bank without asking him and somehow got legally caught up with someone who used his donation? 

Possible, but unlikely. Bokuto had a hard time staying hard in public places and the donation places collect on site. They had once tried to have bathroom sex at a restaurant when Akaashi had just graduated high school, and Bokuto just couldn't do it. Since then, he refused to try anywhere else that felt public. 

Was Bokuto at the hospital over a minor injury for himself or a teammate, then accidentally wandered around lost and wound up in the wrong room, falling asleep when he got too tired?

Also possible and probably the most likely of the scenarios Akaashi had flipped through. Bokuto loved babies and was always drawn to them. Every now and again he hinted at wanting to adopt one. 

What had really happened between eight o'clock last night and this morning? 

The only way to find out was to ask. Relief at seeing Bokuto alive and well was now much stronger than his anger and lingering worry, so he managed to keep his voice calm and soft and he shook Bokuto's shoulder. "Kou… wake up."

Bokuto stirred and opened his eyes. He looked at Akaashi and gave him a bright smile. Then he did something quite out of character. He put a finger over his lips, making a quiet shushing sound as he nodded towards the sleeping baby. 

How dare Bokuto shush him? Akaashi raised his eyebrows at the audacity of this man he loved so much. How many times had Bokuto nearly blasted his eardrum by yelling near his ear? Or woken him up with his late night giggles with Kuroo?

Now that he was closer, Akaashi looked at the baby again. A girl, he noted, because of the obnoxious pink all over her. Honestly, the way people always assign colors to babies never made sense to Akaashi. He didn't like the stereotypes. He hoped this poor child wasn't going to grow up forced to wear only pinks and purples. 

The baby girl had puffy black hair and a sweet face. Bokuto's hand was over her arm and the baby had Bokuto's finger held tightly in her little fist. It was actually very adorable. Or would be, if Akaashi knew why the hell Bokuto was touching a stranger's baby. 

Akaashi glanced back at Bokuto with a eyebrow raised. Bokuto was looking down at the baby with a very soft, loving expression. It would have been so cute, if he were not so confused. Akaashi spoke quietly. "Care to explain this all to me, Koutarou? I was up all night worried about you."

Bokuto frowned and looked genuinely remorseful. "I'm sorry I didn't call, and that I missed our date. I accidentally left my phone in my locker at practice."

That explained the lack of communication. "Okay. And what brought you here? Why are you in this woman's room, comforting her sleeping baby? Do you know her?" 

Bokuto scratched the back of his head and looked kind of… guilty? Akaashi's stomach clenched a bit as he waited for the explanation. That was Bokuto's ' _I did something you might not be happy about'_ face.

In a quiet whisper, Bokuto spoke. "I was walking to the station, and I found this woman hunched over on the sidewalk. She was alone and in pain. She needed help getting to the hospital, so I offered to take her here."

Akaashi crossed his arms and waited quietly. There was obviously more to this story. Bokuto wouldn't feel bad about helping someone, even if he was in trouble for skipping a date. 

"So… we got a taxi together and on the way here, she started crying. She said her ex was abusive and she left him right before she found out she was pregnant. She moved to the city alone and didn't know how she was going to care for the baby, but she really wished she could give her baby a good life. And I felt so bad for her…"

Bokuto looked even more guilty now. He wouldn't meet Akaashi's eyes. With an impatient sigh, Akaashi reached out and held Bokuto's chin, tilting the man's face up so he could get a better look. "Just tell me, Koutarou."

Bokuto squirmed nervously. "Can we keep the baby?"

Akaashi blinked quickly at Bokuto in disbelief as he tried to process the question. Keep the baby? A stranger's baby? The two of them? Good gods, he better not have meant he wanted to kidnap this baby. 

Akaashi tried to keep his response even and free from the irritation he was feeling. Bokuto was so pure and sincere in his intentions to help, even if he had ridiculous ideas about how to go about it. One of the ways he kept Bokuto feeling well cared for was to make sure he never let his frustration overshadow his love. Even so, there was a sharpness to Akaashi's voice.

"Kou, sweetheart. Babies are not like puppies. We can't just take a baby home, especially if it's not ours. And don't you think the mom would be sad if we took her baby away?"

After a glance at the baby and then a desperately pleading glance back at Akaashi, Bokuto spoke. "Don't be mad at me…" 

Had he sounded angry? Akaashi didn't feel that mad, actually. At this point, he was mostly feeling tired and a little cranky. The adrenaline from his earlier fear had faded and the sleepless night was catching up with him. Bokuto went out of his way to help anyone, even a stranger, which is very much something Akaashi had come to expect from the man. And actually, he loved that part of Bokuto.

With a small sigh, he stepped closer and stroked Bokuto's cheek reassuringly. "I'm not mad, I just don't think the idea is one that you've thought through all the way."

Bokuto shuffled in his chair a bit, looking more guilty than ever. "Well, I wasn't worried about you being mad about this, quite yet. I maybe... did something without asking you."

Bokuto can't ignore someone who needs help and can be terribly reckless in how he offers assistance. Akaashi knew this. He'd seen it countless times. He clenched his jaw and prepared himself for whatever Bokuto was about to admit. His voice was weary when he finally spoke. "What exactly did you do?"

Before an answer came, the baby started to stir and fuss. Bokuto carefully picked her up and put her on his chest, patting her back gently. The baby made a cute whimpering sound before settling onto Bokuto's chest. Bokuto smiled and leaned his chin against her head, murmuring to her softly. 

If Bokuto was trying to soften Akaashi up before he admitted to what he did, it was only working a little. Or a lot. The sight of Bokuto comforting the small baby was making Akaashi's heart warm and melty. But he managed to keep a smile off his lips, because he wanted to stay stern until he found out what was making Bokuto so guilty. He crossed his arms and patiently waited for his husband to speak.

Finally, Bokuto looked up at Akaashi. "Kaori, that's the mom, and I came up with a plan before we got to the hospital." 

Akaashi tilted his head and stared at Bokuto as his lips pulled slightly into a frown. 

Bokuto took a breath and spoke quickly to get it over with. "We put my name down as the father and gave the baby my family name. I told Kaori that you and I would raise Emi as our own."

Akaashi stared blankly at Bokuto. He felt a huge wave of disbelief and surprise. It had been a long time since he'd caught so off guard. He wished he had been sitting down to hear that. Of all the reckless things Bokuto had ever done, this took first prize. Nothing he could do would ever be more ridiculously thoughtless than this.

Akaashi was so shocked by Bokuto's words that he let out a small chuckle, from denial and the slight hope that this was a really poorly planned joke. "You… what?"

Bokuto went to repeat himself, but Akaashi held up his hand to stop him. Irritation was definitely coming through his voice now. "I heard you, Koutarou. I just can't believe it. I can't believe you would do something so huge without talking to me first."

Bokuto looked down; his eyes were sad as he nuzzled against the baby's head where she rested on his broad chest. She fits perfectly there, Akaashi's mind whispered to him. He brushed that thought away as Bokuto looked back at him and started to further explain himself. 

"Well, I didn't have my phone… and we didn't have a lot of time to decide. I stayed with Kaori through her whole labor… she worked so hard, you should have seen it! And… well… when Emi was born… oh, I chose her name!"

Bokuto's proud look about naming the baby faded when he saw Akaashi's face, which was a mix of disappointment and frustration. He hurried to continue his explanation. "Uh, well, she started crying, she wouldn't stop for anyone. Not until I held her. She calmed down and snuggled against me. It felt like she was saying _'will you be my dad?'_ And I couldn't say no to her. Could you say no to this face?"

Akaashi looked first at Bokuto's apologetic and hopeful face. This man, that he loved so damn much, was such a fool sometimes. He then looked at the sleeping baby's innocent face. Her chubby little cheek was squished against Bokuto's chest. As she breathed, a little bubble formed on her mouth. She really was quite precious. 

When it came down to it, he probably couldn't say no to either of those faces. But a baby was a huge responsibility. An expensive undertaking. And one they had not planned for. Akaashi didn't like going into something without a plan. 

When the baby stirred around again, Bokuto held her out towards Akaashi. "Hold her for a minute, Keiji. See what I mean for yourself."

Akaashi frowned in surprise but put his arms out automatically. He awkwardly took the baby and brought her to his chest. He never held a baby before. She was heavier than he thought she would be. Sturdier feeling. He thought a baby would feel more... light and fragile. 

Emi snuggled against him and made a small gurgling sound. Her little body against his chest made his heart overflow with a kind of warmth he had never felt before. He started picturing what life would be like with having her at home to care for. Could he even care for a baby? Not by himself, for sure. But with Bokuto at his side, he thought maybe he could do it. 

Before he knew it, he found himself leaning down and pressing his nose and mouth against her little head of fluffy black hair, closing his eyes as he breathed in the scent of the baby shampoo that her hair had been washed with. His hand was over her back and he rubbed his thumb over her small shoulder. She made a little squeaking sound as he did so. She was ticklish, it seemed. 

Bokuto's soft voice broke the spell. "I wish I had my phone so I could take a picture. You two look so cute together."

Akaashi glanced at Bokuto's tender expression. It was glowing with love as he looked at the pair. Against his better judgement, Akaashi stepped closer to Bokuto. "My phone's in my pocket." 

With a hopeful smile, Bokuto stood up and pulled Akaashi's phone out of his pocket. He took a couple pictures of Akaashi holding Emi. When he looked at one of the pictures, he teared up. "You look like her dad already, Keiji." 

Akaashi sighed and (somewhat reluctantly) handed the baby back to Bokuto. "I need to talk to her mom and sort this out." 

A huge disappointed pout crossed Bokuto's face. "Does that mean you don't want her?" The sadness in Bokuto's voice pressed painfully on Akaashi's soft heart. 

After a deep breath, Akaashi replied. "I didn't say that. I just need to clear some things up and figure out exactly where things stand. Tetsurou and Kenma are outside the door, why don't you go tell them you're okay. We were all very worried."

Bokuto adjusted Emi on his chest and nodded. He walked over to the hospital bed and gently shook Kaori's shoulder. "Hey, my husband's here. He wants to talk to you."

Kaori stirred around and looked at Bokuto. She gave him a kind and grateful smile. "Did the nurses bring formula?"

Bokuto nodded. "Yeah. I just fed Emi a while ago. I'm gonna go show her to my friends while Keiji talks to you, okay?"

Kaori nodded once and looked at Akaashi expectantly, still wearing the kind smile. 

As Bokuto stepped out of the room with Emi, Akaashi came to stand beside Kaori. He felt very awkward as he tried to decide how to broach the subject. It didn't really feel like there was much choice in this situation since Bokuto had put himself down as the father. That overly helpful, under thinking but loveable idiot. 

"My husband says you've agreed to let us raise your baby?"

Kaori nodded happily and then took one of Akaashi's hands in between her own, squeezing tightly. "I'm so grateful. I never told any of my friends or family about the pregnancy. I work from home in my tiny apartment, so I hid away all this time. I moved here with my ex and had to leave him, he was awful. When I found out I was expecting his baby, I didn't know what to do."

Kaori gently bit at her lip before she continued. "I don't have much money... Bokuto was so kind to offer to pay all the medical bills! When he told me that he and you had been wanting to adopt a baby, it just felt like everything finally fell into place!"

Akaashi's mind turned over this information. There goes a chunk of their savings, it sounded like. And when had he and Bokuto even talked seriously about adopting? Akaashi kept his face neutral as he racked his brain. Bokuto sometimes mentioned it, but he couldn't remember saying yes.

Then a memory came to Akaashi from several months before. He and Bokuto had been in line at the grocery store, waiting to buy their food. There was a young toddler in a grocery cart ahead of them that was staring at Bokuto. When Bokuto made faces at the child, she giggled. The two made faces back and forth until the mother finished buying her groceries and left. 

Bokuto had said to Akaashi _'don't you think we would make great parents? We should adopt a baby!'_

And Akaashi had said something like _'maybe when the right time comes,'_ just to give Bokuto's suggestion acknowledgment. He had been responding to a work email and wasn't really paying attention, so he had missed seeing Bokuto's expression. Had Bokuto taken that as a green light for adopting a baby? 

Oh, of course…. Bokuto's weakness of taking any sign of approval for an idea and running with it, building it into a whole plan within his mind before anyone can stop him. This situation probably seemed like the 'right time coming', from Bokuto's perspective. 

Akaashi held back the sigh he wanted to make. If they tried to back out now, things could get complicated legally. What had made Bokuto put himself down as the father? Akaashi told himself he'd married an absolutely ridiculous man. Loveable, but ridiculous. 

Well, the situation was what it was. It fell on Akaashi to be the mature one and manage their new set of responsibilities. After clearing his throat, Akaashi squeezed Kaori's hand gently. "Do you have any supplies for the baby? And what type of relationship are you hoping to have with her, in the future?"

Kaori looked a little guilty as her eyes teared up. "I don't actually have anything for her. I was planning to give her up to the hospital right after having her… and I don't think I deserve to be part of her life after wanting to do that." She hurriedly wiped away tears. 

Akaashi gave her a soft look and a smile. "You can be part of her life if you want to. She won't hold it against you, that you wanted a good life for her. We will take good care of her, and we will keep in contact with you. I'm going to go buy the supplies we will need for her. Is there anything you need me to get for you?" 

Kaori then shook her head. "I'm okay, I don't need anything."

Akaashi was already writing a shopping list in his mind and adding things to his long mental to-do list. "How can we help you while you recover from the birth?"

Kaori shook her head again. "I'm fine on my own… they said I can go home tomorrow since everything went well. They said Bokuto could take the baby home today if he wanted. I told them I wouldn't be breastfeeding her and wanted to rest by myself, but I didn't give them other details. They really think he's the father."

Akaashi nodded as he continued making a mental list of the things he knew a baby would need and started on a list of who he needed to call. His and Bokuto's parents were going to be very happy when they heard the news. 

He also hoped that none of the nurses recognized Bokuto as part of the pro volleyball world. He didn't want a news story about a secret love child circulating. If worse came to worst, Akaashi decided they would publically announce that they had used a surrogate. Kaori would likely cooperate since she could get in trouble too if anyone found out she lied on the birth certificate. 

Akaashi looked at Kaori. "If anyone asks, please say you were a surrogate for us. I'll leave you with my phone number. Please call me if you think of anything you need." 

Kaori agreed and thanked him as he gave her a small bow. 

When Akaashi walked out of the room, Bokuto was standing beside Kuroo and Kenma in the hallway. The three men were looking down at Emi. And each had a soft expression; it looked like she had easily won their affection already. She was going to be a very well loved child. And probably a spoiled one, too. Akaashi knew he would have to be the firm parent. Bokuto would just encourage rowdy behavior. 

Kuroo looked up at him and smiled. "So you're a dad now, and what a way to go about it. Bo told us everything."

Kenma spoke with a wry smile. "How does it feel having two children now, Keiji?"

Akaashi gave a small huff. "We're going to say we used a surrogate. That's the official story, okay? I need to go get supplies for the baby. Can I borrow your car, Tetsurou? Or would you drive me home?"

Kuroo wrapped an arm around Bokuto then tossed his keys at Akaashi. "I wanna stay with Bo and my new god-daughter. Don't buy more than the basics. I'm gonna throw you a huge baby shower and I'm gonna invite everyone we know! You're gonna be drowning in gifts for little miss Emi." 

Ah. They were going to need to move into a two bedroom apartment. Akaashi put that on his mental to-do list, which was feeling rather long right now. He moved 'nap after shopping' towards the very top of the list. He felt rather stressed, but he also got a weird thrill from having a lot of things to plan and accomplish.

Bokuto smiled happily at Akaashi. "So she's going to be our daughter for real? You're okay with it?"

With a resigned sigh, Akaashi lifted his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "You didn't leave me much choice, really. You're legally her father now. Kenma, do you want to come with me to get baby stuff?"

Kenma nodded silently.

Bokuto was looking especially guilty and sad, so Akaashi walked up to him and caressed his face. "I'm not… that upset. I'm just trying to process everything. This is a big commitment, and we have to see it through properly now. I'll be back after Kenma and I finish shopping."

  
  


Watching Bokuto's face break into a smile was like watching the sunrise. Akaashi looked at his husband as the man gently held Emi closer to his chest and kissed her head. A small smile spread over Akaashi's lips. "I love you, Koutarou. You're going to be a great dad."

"I love you too, Keiji. And you're gonna be the best dad. I know it!"

Akaashi smiled and leaned in to kiss Bokuto, placing his hand over Bokuto's on Emi's back. As he pulled away, he looked down at the sleeping baby. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I love you already, Emi."

Bokuto's eyes started watering. "I love her already, too. I'm so happy."

Kuroo ruffled Bokuto's hair playfully. "I'm happy too! What a wild morning this turned out to be, you know?"

After one last look at Bokuto and Emi, Akaashi turned to walk away with Kenma beside him. He could hear the sound of Kuroo taking a bunch of pictures. This was going to be all over social media soon, knowing Kuroo. 

He could hardly believe it. He was a dad now. Bokuto was a dad now, too. They had a daughter to care for. Oh, gods. They needed to start another savings account. And how much formula did a baby drink in a day? Akaashi's mind went into planning overdrive. 

He glanced once more at his husband and their daughter before turning down the hallway. This was unexpected, but it would be okay. They could do this.

There was nothing Akaashi wouldn't do for Bokuto, and he found himself starting to feel excited about being a parent. He had plenty of experience caring for another person after being with Bokuto for so many years. 

How hard could a baby be, compared to that?

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Is This A Baby Shower Or A High School(s) Reunion?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is super mega ultra self indulgent for me because we get to see everyone together again. And I mean everyone. Lol. Even if I didn't mention them, assume they are at this party.

Akaashi was holding one month old Emi in a baby carrier as he slowly swayed around in the large kitchen of Kuroo and Kenma's house. He had needed somewhere quiet to rock her to sleep, so he stepped away from the loud party that was going on outside. 

The sprawling backyard of the large estate was crowded with all their friends and then some. Kuroo was out there running things for the baby shower that he and Kenma were hosting. It was a wonder that so many people had made it to the party since it was rather last minute. 

It felt like a big reunion for all the old high school teams, despite the baby themed games everyone was playing. The old Fukurodani and Nekoma teams were there. And since Kuroo had connections all over the place because of his job, he had invited most of the old high school teams that were around during his third year of high school, including Karasuno, Shiratorizawa and Inarizaki. 

Tendou had catered dessert for the baby shower after Ushijima had recommended him to Kuroo. His chocolates were a big hit. And it was pure luck that he had been in the country during the party. 

Kuroo had a variety of games planned out for entertainment; the current one had some of the former captains facing off in a drinking contest using an awkward volleyball shaped baby bottle filled with milk. Kuroo himself was up against Bokuto, Ushijima, Oikawa, Kita, and Daichi. 

At that moment, Suga was screaming at Daichi to suck harder on the nipple of the bottle; he was smacking his husband's back as he did so. Daichi was trying his best not to choke as Suga pounded on him, and he had already spilled a bunch of milk down the front of his shirt. 

Meanwhile, Ushijima couldn't get the milk to come out of his baby bottle and was staring at it with a stern look. Standing beside him was most of his former team. Right next to him was Tendou, who was giggling. "Having a hard time, love?"

Semi crossed his arms and shook his head at his former captain. "You can't just intimidate it into coming out faster."

"I did not foresee that this challenge would be so difficult. It is much harder than when we had to guess the baby food flavors," Ushijima said before he brought the bottle back to his mouth to keep trying. 

Goshiki gave Ushijima a thumbs up. "You can do it!"

Oikawa stopped drinking his bottle for a moment and made a mocking face at Ushijima. "Maybe you should have come to my school, we knew how to drink milk there."

That made Kuroo laugh so hard that he ended up gushing milk out of his nose. Yamamoto and Inuoka both got some of the spray on them while Yaku had jumped back out range just in time, knocking Lev over with him. Yamamoto shook his arms and backed up into Tanaka, who almost bumped into Kiyoko because of it. So Tanaka turned and shoved Yamamoto. "You almost made me knock into my wife!"

Yamamoto bristled. "Haaaa? I'll make you bump into someone, alright!" Yamamoto shoved Tanaka into Daichi, which made Daichi sputter and choke. Suga patted Daichi's back with one hand and chopped at Tanaka and Yamamoto with his other hand. 

Then Suga walked over to Kuroo and gave him a shove, making Kuroo spray out milk again. "Your team slows us down, our team slows you down!"

Kageyama, who had Hinata sitting on his shoulders for some reason, yelled at Suga. "You're wasting the milk!"

Nishinoya climbed up Asahi to get on his shoulders next to Kageyama and Hinata. He had two bags in his hand. "Let's attack the other captains from high up, Shouyou! Here, take these!"

Hinata found himself with a bag full of tiny plastic babies that had been used in a game they played earlier. He and Nishinoya started throwing them at the former captains of the rival teams. 

Yamamoto and Inuoka gathered with the other former Nekoma teammates to circle around Kuroo and block him off from further attack. Lev asked Yaku if he wanted up on his shoulders like the other short guys and earned himself a hard kick in the butt. Meanwhile, they swatted at the little plastic babies that kept flying towards them. 

"Are we fighting and guarding like that, then?" Atsumu yelled. He pulled Osamu with him to stand near Kita, joined by the other former Inarizaki players. Then Atsumu started kicking at Bokuto.

Bokuto's old teammates were quick to surround him. Yamato, Konoha, Komi, Onaga, and Washio all told Bokuto how well he was doing to inflate his ego as they fended off the kicking attacks from Atsumu. 

One of the plastic babies almost hit Oikawa in the face, but Iwaizumi was right there to catch it. He threw it back at Hinata and it hit him right on the hand, making him drop the rest of his plastic baby arsenal. Hanamaki and Matsukawa ran over and collected the small bag of plastic babies at Kageyama's feet, then ran back to help Iwaizumi block Oikawa. They and the other former teammates started throwing the plastic babies at other groups. 

All the former teams ended up surrounding their former captains, catching and throwing the tiny plastic babies and yelling for their old captains to chug faster. But it was Bokuto who ended up winning; his old team erupted in cheers. 

Oikawa flipped his hair and dropped his large baby bottle on the ground. "I don't like drinking plain milk. I'm not a baby cow and I'm not Tobio-chan. We should have used juice, I'd have won then." 

Iwaizumi chuckled and reached up to ruffle Oikawa's hair playfully. "Don't be a sore loser, Tooru. You won at guessing how much Bokuto, Akaashi and Emi all weighed when they were born, so be happy with that."

Suga was teasing Daichi as he hugged him. "I can suck harder than you, I should have competed in your place. With my win at the _'name things you can say about both having a baby and playing volleyball'_ game, we could have been at five wins for team Karasuno."

Daichi gave Suga a playful nudge and a grin. "Don't wound by pride, Suga. Besides, I'm the one who got us first place in the bobbing for pacifiers game, remember?"

It seems Hinata was feeling a strong competitive buzz as he climbed down Kageyama and bounced up at Bokuto's face. "Rematch for the honor of my old team!"

Bokuto stood tall, puffed up his chest and yelled loudly. "I'm now a man with a husband and a daughter! I have their pride to carry! I won't lose in a man to man battle!"

Kuroo laughed loudly and handed Bokuto a gift card, which was the prize for winning. "I'm all out of milk, so use water if you want to do a rematch."

Oikawa groaned loudly. "We could have used water in the first place!"

Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa in for a hug. "Are you really going to pout over this loss?"

Oikawa glanced at Ushijima, who was still staring hard at his half full baby bottle. "There are some people who I still want to beat, even if it's just a dumb game like this."

Iwaizumi gave Oikawa a soft look, then kissed him before he replied. "You'll beat him at the next game. Kuroo said we're going to be serving volleyballs at a babydoll sitting on a stool, to see which group can knock it down the most times."

Tsukishima overheard that and rolled his eyes, then turned to Yamaguchi. "Kuroo came up with some weird shit to play."

With a giggle, Yamaguchi hugged Tsukishima. "At least it's been fun hanging out with everyone like this."

Kuroo smacked Tsukishima on the back and gave a smirk. "I'm glad you guys made it today. I have more 'weird shit' games planned. So brace yourself, Tsukki!"

Just then, Bokuto stepped up on a chair. "I want to thank you all for coming to honor my baby! When she wakes up from her nap, I'll show you guys how cute she looks next to a volleyball!"

Bokuto was loud enough for Akaashi to hear. He chuckled to himself as he continued to rock Emi in the silent kitchen. He could see the whole group from the window in the kitchen and had been enjoying watching them. He leaned down to gently kiss Emi's forehead. "Your papa loves you a lot. Don't worry, daddy won't let him embarrass you when you're older."

Kenma came into the kitchen just then. "I thought I might find you here. Enjoying the peace and quiet?"

Akaashi nodded; Emi had fallen asleep a while ago and Akaashi was leaning his lower back against a counter as she napped on him. "You and Tetsurou sure know how to throw a party. I'm sure there's never been a baby shower like this before."

Kenma gave a flat smile. "He went way overboard, as usual. Did you know we're going to do volleyball matches between the old teams soon? We even have prizes for the winners."

Akaashi smiled, but felt a little guilty. He knew just how extravagant the prizes were. Earlier he'd won a _'put a diaper on a volleyball while blindfolded'_ race and the prize was a $100 dollar Visa gift card. He gave Kenma a sincere smile. "You've done a lot. Too much, even. I insist you let me pay you back for all the baby supplies you bought from that first day we met Emi." 

When Akaashi and Kenma had gone shopping for Emi, Kenma had insisted on buying everything. Akaashi tried to argue, but Kenma ignored him and swiped his card before Akaashi could say anything else. He refused to accept Akaashi's offer for repayment multiple times. 

"I'm afraid you might not like my gift for you and Koutarou, if that little gesture bothered you," Kenma said slyly.

Akaashi frowned; he didn't want Kenma to spend more money on him. "I thought this extravagant party today was your gift to us. What else did you buy? You're spoiling me, and you're spoiling your god-daughter."

Kenma smiled mischievously. "This gift will only be spoiling you and Koutarou, technically. If you'll accept it."

Akaashi didn't even want to guess what it could be. "Oh, Kenma. Please tell me you didn't spend a lot of money."

Kenma leaned down on the counter and put his chin in his hands. "It's not really money I'm spending. More like money I'd be keeping you from spending."

"What does that mean?" Akaashi said in a puzzled voice.

Kenma spoke with an air of casual indifference. "Do you want to move into our guest house? It's like, four times the size of your apartment. And it has three bedrooms, so Emi can have her own room and you can have an office."

Akaashi blinked as his tears started to come. He had been crying a lot easier since Emi came into his life; it was probably because he was tired most of the time. "That's… that's too generous."

As he waved his hand, Kenma replied lightly. "It's no big deal. I insist, and so does Kuroo. You know I don't want children of my own, but Kuroo loves kids. He wants to be around for Emi's life. Be the protective _'god father,'_ and all that. And you'll probably have no choice once he asks Bokuto. Those two would love to live on the same property, and I know Bokuto is stubborn like Kuroo."

Akaashi didn't know how he could say no; it was a very generous offer. "You already planned on me saying yes, didn't you?"

"Basically. I'll go ahead and confirm with the moving company and have them send a team out. They can bring your stuff here by tonight," Kenma said through an impish grin. "Besides, did you really want to make twenty trips to move the huge mountain of gifts that's outside? They wouldn't even fit in your old apartment."

That was a good point. Yaku and Lev had bought a whole year's worth of diapers and formula, which had been delivered to Kenma's house. They were as extravagant with gifts as Kuroo and Kenma were. Akaashi thought it must be nice to have that kind of money to throw around. 

All the sudden, Kenma pulled a flat rectangular package out of the pocket of his hoodie and handed it to Akaashi. "I did get you a small something."

Akaashi looked at it curiously as he unwrapped the gift. Inside was a picture frame, and it made Akaashi tear up again as he looked at the picture. It was Bokuto holding Emi in the hallway of the hospital on the day they first met her. Akaashi was looking at Bokuto, and both men had a hand on Emi's back. The three of them looked like a perfect little family. Kenma must have taken the photo without anyone noticing. 

Akaashi looked at his friend with a watery grin; his tears were flowing freely. "Thank you so much, Kenma. This is wonderful."

Kenma just shrugged and gave a small grin. "You're kind of emotional these days, Keiji. You doing okay with being a new dad? You know that Kuroo and I would be willing to watch her overnight for you now and then, right? So you can catch up on sleep."

Akaashi nodded. "Yeah, Tetsurou reminds Koutarou of that all the time. But Koutarou doesn't want her away from him at night, he's so attached to her," he said with a smile. "Emi's such a sweet baby. She's even easier to calm and care for than Koutarou in some ways. Although I must say, Koutarou’s really stepped up and matured this past month. He brings the same intensity and drive to parenting that he has always given to volleyball."

Kenma chuckled. "That's not surprising since he's wanted a baby for a long time. I was pretty surprised several months ago when I heard Koutarou telling Tetsurou that you two had decided to adopt a baby soon. I also wondered why you didn't tell me about it. You know I would have willingly helped with the process."

Well, that confirmed Akaashi's theory that Bokuto had taken his offhand comment about _'maybe when the right time come_ s' as a confirmation of wanting to adopt a baby as soon as possible. Akaashi smiled ruefully. "Well, I never actually said yes to Koutarou about adopting before he did what he did. It was as much a shock for me as it was for you. But now that I have Emi in my life, I can't imagine it without her. Koutarou’s audacity paid off this time."

Kenma was about to reply, but Bokuto burst into the kitchen. A stern look from Akaashi was all it took for Bokuto to realize Emi was sleeping, so he slowly crept over to kiss Akaashi. He then very softly kissed Emi's head. Bokuto then whisper-yelled to Akaashi. "I got a cool prize for the baby bottle contest I just won. It's a $100 dollar Visa gift card!"

Akaashi turned to Kenma with raised eyebrows. "Are all your prizes $100 dollar visa gift cards?"

Kenma shrugged casually. "Tetsurou put me in charge of prizes and I didn't want to put a lot of effort into choosing so many. He thought of over ten games, you know. Not including the volleyball matches."

_'It's like he is made of money,'_ Akaashi thought to himself in disbelief. 

Bokuto had perked up at the mention of volleyball. "We'll start the matches after a couple more party games. We're going to do our old high school teams in a rotation! I'll have our old team go last so Emi can finish her nap before we start! I can't wait to hit your tosses, Keiji!"

Akaashi had to cover Emi's ears because Bokuto forgot to be quiet. But it was volleyball related, so Akaashi couldn't be that mad about it. He leaned forward and kissed Bokuto, then grinned curiously. "Did Tetsurou tell you about what he and Kenma want to give us as a gift?"

Bokuto shook his head and went back to whisper-yelling. "No, what is it?!"

Akaashi just gave a small grin. "I'll just let Tetsurou tell you. Go back out and play some more games."

Bokuto stood tall and nodded. "I'll win them all and make you proud!"

As Bokuto walked out of the kitchen, Akaashi smiled to himself; he was already proud of Bokuto, and he always would be. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah btw Mythical_Beasts came through with a soul ejecting drawing of Mattsun and Makki about to throw down some baby dolls and I've been laughing for 5 minutes straight at this pure entertainment. If anyone sees my soul floating around, grab it for me.  
> [View it here](https://hqisthebest.tumblr.com/post/633533041017602048/the-audacity-of-my-protagonist-chapter-2)


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